The Myth and Mystique of a Black Pearl Necklace

Since recorded history, man has coveted the luminous white gems we call pearls. Revered the world over for their rare beauty, otherworldly sheen and understated elegance, pearls are as popular in modern society as they were with European royals and Egyptian princesses centuries ago. Today, pearl jewelry connoisseurs have a new love: black pearls. Exotic, luxurious and rare, a rich black pearl necklace presents a striking picture?the gems definitely lack the demure, chaste image of their classic white counterparts. For the woman who has everything, a black pearl necklace, whether showcased alone in a pendant or in a perfectly matched strand, makes a wonderful addition to her jewelry collection. Think of how lovely a black pearl necklace will look on any skin tone!

Where do jewelers get the pearls they use in a matched black pearl necklace?

?Black? pearls are also known as ?Tahitian cultured pearls,? but both names are misleading. Not only are Tahitian cultured pearls not exclusively black, they?re also not grown in Tahiti. Called ?black? because of their exotic dark colors, Tahitian cultured pearls can be gray, blue, green and brown. And they?re grown in the lagoons of small islands that are part of a group known as French Polynesia. Tahiti, the largest island, serves as the group?s center of commerce, and not as a pearl growing mecca. Interestingly, fine Tahitian cultured pearls have only been on the market since the 1970s. Yet they have become quite popular in that short time.

Growing Tahitian pearls

Tahitian pearls are cultivated for around two years in Pinctada margaritifera cumingi, a large saltwater mollusk that is native to French Polynesia. One of the ways this unique oyster differs from other species is that its interior shell color is dark. This so-called ?black lipped? oyster also has black mantle edges?the ?lips? that give the animal its descriptive name. Due to overfishing, adult wild oyster populations aren?t as plentiful as they used to be. In an effort to reverse this trend, the government protects the animals; pearl farmers in French Polynesia who wish to culture the black lipped oyster must raise the oysters from spat (baby oysters). If the farmer is successful in nurturing the spat to adulthood, at around two and a half to three years old, the oysters are implanted with mantle tissue and a mother-of-pearl bead to start the pearl growing process. This delicate operation is performed by specially trained workers called nucleators; even so, according to the Gemological Institute of America, more than 50 percent of the oysters die or reject the nucleus.

Literature from GIA says, ?Add those oysters to the ones that don?t meet the implantation criteria: The farmer?s potential pearl-producing stock is less than half the number that lived long enough to be considered for nucleation. When the pearl growth period begins, after three years of work, the farmer has only 20 percent of the oysters he collected as spat.? No wonder a fine quality Tahitian cultured pearl is so rare!

Tahitian pearl growth generally takes place in a closed lagoon that is ringed by coral reefs. Such a setup offers protection and a stable environment for the implanted oysters to complete the pearl-growing process. After the oysters have been submerged for 22 to 26 months, they?re hauled to the surface, where any pearls they managed to grow are harvested. The farmers then clean and lightly buff the gems prior to offering them for sale. Farmers also sort the pearls by color, shape, etc. and grouped with like pearls.

In the end, only one to two percent of the Tahitian cultured pearl crop consists of fine quality round cultured pearls.

Color

Today, the most sought-after Tahitian cultured pearls are dark green-gray to blue gray with ros? or purple overtones. But how do pearls get their color? No one is completely sure, but we do know that pearl colors are determined by several factors, including variations in the host oyster, color variation of the implanted donor mussel tissue, the number and thickness of nacre layers, and variations in growing environment such as temperature and water quality. Tahitian pearls are most often variations of gray, black, green and blue, but other colors exist. Search on the Internet for Tahitian cultured pearl images, and you will see they are not all black!

Buying a black pearl necklace

At an average size of 8mm-14mm, Tahitian cultured pearls?especially those specimens that are gem-quality and round?are very expensive. (GIA estimates that one first-quality, unusually large Tahitian cultured pearl will set you back thousands of dollars!) If only one to two percent of the harvest produces a fine quality round Tahitian cultured pearl, imagine how long it takes to make a matched strand! No wonder a black pearl necklace is so costly. Choose carefully, keeping in mind that pearls with a desirable overtone (secondary color) and pearls that are larger than typical will be more expensive. Look for pearls that are well-matched, not pitted or marked in any obvious way (minor surface characteristics are acceptable). Be sure to check return policies up front, too, in case you have a problem. Ask your retail jeweler for his or her store policy or, if buying online, check the site?s guarantee prior to making a purchase. Once you receive your pearls, be sure to examine them closely. After wearing, store your pearl necklace away from other gems; while fairly durable, pearls are prone to scratching and their nacre will erode over time, especially if exposed to harsh chemicals like bleach, perfume and chlorine. Black pearl necklaces in modern fashion

Although slow to catch on at first, thanks in part to publicity from stars such as actress Elizabeth Taylor, a renowned jewelry collector who wore a striking black pearl necklace in publicity photos for her Black Pearls perfume launch, Tahitian cultured pearls are wildly popular today. It?s not hard to find examples of fine black pearl jewelry in modern society. Look around and you?ll see black pearl necklaces on everyone from businesswomen to moms to Hollywood A-list actresses, models and celebrities. Take Kiera Knightly, for example, who wore a stunning black baroque Tahitian cultured pearl choker at the premier of her movie, The Black Pearl. Stars like Christy Turlington, Naomi Watts, Heidi Klum, Michael Michelle, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Shalom Harlow are also pearl fans.

Perhaps black pearls? popularity is why designers like David Yurman, Elsa Peretti and Paloma Picasso (for Tiffany & Co.) are incorporating stunning black pearls, and even black baroque and black keshi pearls, into modern designs like long chain necklaces, brooches, chokers and charm bracelets. Black pearl drop earrings and pendants are also favorites, as they require little matching?or none at all. Whimsical designs on cufflinks and in popular frog, dragonfly and other animal pins incorporate black pearls as well.

Black pearl necklace alternatives

When most people think of black pearl jewelry, they naturally think of Tahitian cultured pearls. But prices are high for these rare gems, in part due to their large size, unusual colors, and the high cost of producing them. If you want to wear real Tahitian cultured pearls, one way to do so without breaking the bank is to choose a pendant-style necklace with a single pearl; black pearl stud earrings; a single black pearl ring, or black baroque (non-symmetrical) pearls. These designs are every bit as exotic yet much more affordable than a matched black pearl strand.

For customers for whom Tahitian pearl jewelry is beyond reach, there are some inexpensive yet beautiful alternatives to the classic black pearl necklace. Today, freshwater pearls?round, drop, button and baroque?are color-treated to produce a look that closely resembles the hue of Tahitian cultured pearls. The natural-looking result is beautiful and looks great in such pieces as a baroque black pearl bracelet, black pearl drop earrings or black pearl necklace. Every bit as real as their Tahitian cousins, black freshwater cultured pearls? color is man-made, but keep in mind that nearly all pearls are treated somehow (bleaching is the most common enhancement).

If you?re after not only the color but the size of fine Tahitian pearls, consider a black ?pearl? necklace made from black mother-of-pearl beads. Their generous size, lustrous sheen and affordable price make them a popular alternative to a fine Tahitian pearl necklace.

A graduate of the Gemological Institute of America?s Graduate Pearls program, Amy Drescher is a fashion writer and accessories buyer for http://www.moonriverpearls.com She welcomes your questions. Reach her at adrescher@moonriverpearls.com

The Torc - a Symbolic Necklace from Ancient Times

A torc is a rigid necklace which was made from woven metallic rope. So the craftsmen would get strands of metal and twist them around each other like rope and that?s where the name comes from. The Latin word to twist gives us the word torc and torque as we know the word today.

Torcs are familiar to us as bronze age jewellery and reached from around 1000BC until about 300AD but were still worn before and after that in perhaps less serious ways. They are best known as Celtic jewellery but they were worn by other races such as the French German and Spanish.

Another feature of the torc is that it is open at one end. It is round and goes around the neck but it does not close like necklaces of today. The ends were often ornamented with tiny heads or sculptured shapes.

Torcs were not just for ornamentation but had a special role as war ornamentation and they were taken off the body of the vanquished by the victor, so if you lost your torc it usually meant that you also lost your life or certainly your freedom. The torc was often connected with your tribe or family and was inscribed with family history and symbols.

Sometimes torcs were worn on the arm or on the wrist but they were mainly worn around the neck. They were often hinged at the back of the neck and occasionally they were able to be closed but the traditional torc was worn around the neck, was of woven or twisted strands of bronze or gold, sometimes silver and was open with some kind of ornamentation on the ends such s the heads of birds or animals or mythical animals such as dragons.

Torcs were often heavy and looking at them I am astounded as to how these ancient craftsmen could make such things

The torc is another from of ancient and functional jewellery. It served a purpose as a symbol or statement of who you were, what you were worth, and where you came from.

Gary Hocking makes custom jewellery specializing in Australian opals. He has his own website http://www.jewelleryexpress.com.au Feel free to use this article as long as you keep the bio and the live link to his website.

The History of Wedding Jewelry, Bridal Jewelry Sets and Bridesmaid Necklaces

Today there is such a selection of wonderful wedding jewelry one only needs the wedding theme. The necklaces come in an array of designs. Many of today’s brides prefer pearls or diamonds. It is traditional to wear a necklace worn by one’s mother or grandmother with matching earrings. The groom’s family can provide the bride with a beautiful necklace that is a family heirloom or simply buy one just for her. The bride not only wears a necklace and earring set but also often wears ankle bracelets and charm bracelets.

The groom also has an array of choices for wonderful wedding jewelry such as watches, cufflinks, pocketwatches, and of course the ring. The groomsmen have choices in what they wear in manly jewelry just like the groom. The groomsmen can wear special watches and stick pins along with a friendship ring. Men normally like to wear either gold or silver jewelry pieces. The bridesmaids also often adorn themselves in a selection of beautiful bridesmaid jewelry.

The women can start with hairpieces, combs, or barrettes that are gold, silver or pearls. The maidens usually like to wear matching necklaces and earrings that can be of silver or pearls. The bridesmaid also likes to wear charm bracelets given by the bride to depict the day. The flower girl usually a small child normally receives a nice necklace and a charm bracelet as well. The necklace is normally one of the pieces of jewelry that all women like to be selective about when they make their choice.

The tradition of giving your bridal party wedding jewelry began many centuries ago. In honor of the groom’s family, the new bride would be pleased to wear the necklace that belonged to his mother. Other cultures believed the bride should wear her own mother’s necklace. The man often would wear a chain around his neck with a medallion featuring his family crest. Customs have evolved into modern day’s elegant jewelry. While not everyone has an heirloom piece, today there are many options for very elegant wedding jewelry for men and women alike, that will coordinate with their wedding attire to present a look that is complementary and stunning.

Moments of Elegance is an online wedding boutique specializing in wedding favors, bridesmaid jewelry and bridal tiaras that will truly make your event unforgettable

Necklaces of the Middle Ages

The European era of necklaces this article covers is from 1300's to 1600's. During the middle ages it was customary for men, women, and children to all wear jewelry. This era had two main themes for jewelry: religion and romantic love.

Very popular were busts and portraits of saints, altars, or ornaments worn on necklaces. Mythical creatures such as mermaids and dragons were very popular along with animals, such as dolphins and lions. European towns each developed their own unique design style, such as Venice which was influenced by the imports of precious gems and other items from the orient bringing forth oriental approaches to the designs. Engraving ranged from having ones initials to lengths of scriptures or poetry. A popular religious pendant was the Tau Cross, which was worn by itself or with many on the chain, sometimes just one tiny bell was worn with it. It was also popular to wear a necklace with just a tiny bell attached only.

The leading workshops were in, Paris, Limoges, Meuse, Belgian-Lorraine, Siena, Florence, and Venice. The main precious metals used in jewelry making were gold and silver with the main gemstones being sapphires, rubies, and pearls. During the early part of this era (14th century) gemstones were finished with the en cabochon method which is highly polishing smooth the stone and not cutting it into faceted angular cuts until later when cutting was more perfected. Other types of neck jewelry were glass beads of various colors combined with precious gems mounted in silver or gold. Covering certain areas of the piece with enamel was also a common practice. Niello was also used which was a mixture of silver, sulphur, and lead. Fashioning jewelry necklaces was often done with molten metal poured into molds. Germany was well known for using milled wire instead of pouring to make them.

The en cabochon method gave way to a new method during the 15th century which was the forerunner of the diamond facet cutting we know today. The Dutchman Louis de Berken, was the first to discover in Brussels that a diamond could be polished with pulverized diamond moistened with oil. In 1476 he was able to perform facet cutting to diamonds, which had previously been used for rock crystal. Charles the Bold employed Louis de Berken at his court for his newly discovered amazing ability.

Cloisonne' enameling was where the enamel was applied and fired in raised cells which would sometimes be done with soldered wire. Champleve' took over in popularity which is the carving out of areas and filing these areas with enamel and then leveling down (usually sanding) the surrounding metal with the level of the enamel. The copper champleve' work was a technique which allowed colorful jewelry to be produced from inexpensive material and was opaque with clearly outlined areas of color. Paris goldsmiths have been credited with inventing translucent silver enameling, with this technique the goldsmith pours the opaque enamel into a bas-relief carved into the silver. The silver backing produces a delicate and diffused shimmer when the light hits it due to the light colored enamel. The gold enameling technique en ronde bosse also developed by Paris goldsmiths in the late 14th century . This technique utilized various colors of glass flux which were melted over a gold core, and combined with beads and precious stones, including red rubies and blue sapphires being the most popular. In Hungary, which from the 13th to the 15th century was the European country richest in gold, wire enameling was taken over from Italy. This method consisted of twisted gold wire forming the contours of the design and the hollows were filled with an opaque enamel.

Gothic style came about during this era which were religious scenes portrayed similar to Gothic church cathedral art. The effect was a straight forward type of approach which started to change into a more elaborate free flowing style later on.

Short chokers were worn and light to heavy chains were worn on the neck. Necklace chains were of all manner of thicknesses and lengths, some had large round links with others having tightly woven type of braiding. Long thin chain necklaces were often weighed down with heavy pendants. Italian women were known for wearing a crown like brooch attached to a hair ribbon.

The middle ages may be one of the most famed in history for adventures and artifacts of this fantastic period including the unique jewelry. This era lives on in many of todays artist's designs as they have studied this amazing period in history.

To see some amazing jewelry visit: www.amazing-adventure.com/Jewelry/AlleJewelry.htm

Glenn Heitkoetter is a part time writer and runs the following websites: http://www.incredible-items.com and http://www.amazing-adventure.com